PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. -
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-New York, visited the Plattsburgh State campus Friday morning to outline his goals for this legislative session.
"You can't do it by sitting at a desk in Albany. I want to be here, I want to say hello, I want to show up, I want to hear first hand," Cuomo said.
Unlike his predecessors, the Democratic governor is traveling the state and presenting his budget proposal regionally for the second year in a row.
"I work for the people of this state, they elect me, I work for them and that relationship is very important to me," Cuomo said.
PSU Political Scientist Harvey Schantz says this is a well-known political strategy known as "going public."
"By going out across the state, he hopes to put grass-roots pressure onto the Legislature," Schantz said.
And his strategy appears to be working. Last year, the Legislature was able to cut $10 billion in spending and pass the budget on time for the first time in several years. They also passed a marriage equality bill that had been voted against several times and ethics reform.
"He does know how to lead and to work with others and compromise, and we didn't have that before. It was my way or the highway," said Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury.
And recent polls show voters in New York are happy with the governor. A poll conducted by Quinnipiac University found the Democratic governor's approval rating to be high among his own party at 71 percent and Republicans at 63 percent. And a Siena College poll rated his job performance at 63 percent, the highest it has ever been since he took office last year.
Typically the North Country is Republican territory, but the Democratic governor has strong support here.
"I would just like to see him continue many of the patterns he has already started," said Donna Johnson, a Republican.
"He's trying to put more jobs into the economy, trying to make the city more aware of what's going on. I think he is trying to pull it a little up here into the North Country," said Thomas Blais, a registered independent.
"He is able to work both sides of the aisle, not as much fighting in Albany," voter Edirey Archibald said.
Experts say another reason for the strong support is Cuomo is willing to take on his own party on issues like cutting spending and unions.
"If you listen to the national dialogue, it's the Republicans who take on the unions. But in New York State Cuomo is taking on the teacher unions and by doing that he is co-opting the big issues Republicans run on," Schantz said.
A governor who hopes to keep the momentum going in his favor as he looks to reform the Empire State.
